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Journals / Experimental and Applied Medical Science / 2026 / Cilt: 7 Sayı: 3

The Relationship between Appendix Visibility on Non-Contrast Computed Tomography and Visceral Obesity: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study

Kontrastsız Bilgisayarlı Tomografide Apendiks Görünürlüğü ile Visseral Obezite Arasındaki İlişki: Retrospektif Kesitsel Çalışma

Esra Soyer Güldoğan(Sidra Medicine)0000-0002-9251-5241
Tuba Akdağ(Department of Radiology, Ankara Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Training and Research Hospital, Dışkapı, 06110, Ankara, Turkey)0000-0001-5902-5913
Serra Özbal(Department of Radiology, Ankara Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Training and Research Hospital, Dışkapı, 06110, Ankara, Turkey)0000-0003-1019-9925
Yeliz Aktürk(Department of Radiology, Etlik City Hospital, Etlik, Keçiören, 06010, Ankara, Turkey)0000-0002-0244-0478
Cem Güldoğan(Department of General Surgery, The Pearl International Hospital)0000-0003-0634-5619
Baki Hekimoğlu(Department of Radiology, Ankara Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Training and Research Hospital, Dışkapı, 06110, Ankara, Turkey)0000-0002-1824-5853
Pages
205–219
Publication Date
2026-09-28
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

NCCT will be useful for visualizing the appendix in patients with high VFA and may reduce the need for IV contrast.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Objective: This study aims to evaluate the visibility of the appendix on non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT) in patients with high visceral obesity, thereby reducing the need for intravenous (IV) contrast.
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Key Findings & Data:Methods: The study population consists of adult patients who underwent NCCT imaging at a tertiary hospital between January 2021 and January 2022.
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Conclusion & Impact:NCCT will be useful for visualizing the appendix in patients with high VFA and may reduce the need for IV contrast.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:2021 Verileri
⚙️Variables:Akut apandisit · kontrastsız bilgisayarlı tomografi · abdominal tomografi

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the visibility of the appendix on non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT) in patients with high visceral obesity, thereby reducing the need for intravenous (IV) contrast. Methods: The study population consists of adult patients who underwent NCCT imaging at a tertiary hospital between January 2021 and January 2022. The data were collected from electronic medical records and imaging databases, including age, gender, CT findings, and visceral fat area (VFA) measurement. Descriptive statistics, chi-square test, Spearman's rho test, and logistic regression analysis were used for data analysis. Results: In this study of 1562 patients (720 female, 842 male), we examined the relationship between appendix visibility, age, and visceral obesity. The appendix was visualized in 1390 patients (89%) and could not be marked in 172 patients (11%). We found that appendix visualization was significantly higher in patients with a high visceral fat area (VFA > 130) compared to those with a low VFA (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The results highlight the potential importance of considering appendix visibility as a radiological consequence of visceral obesity. NCCT will be useful for visualizing the appendix in patients with high VFA and may reduce the need for IV contrast.

Özet

ÖZET Amaç: Bu çalışma, yüksek visseral obeziteye sahip hastalarda apendiksin kontrastsız bilgisayarlı tomografide (NCCT) görüntülenebilirliğini değerlendirmeyi ve böylece intravenöz (IV) kontrast madde kullanım gereksinimini azaltmayı amaçlamaktadır. Yöntem: Çalışma popülasyonu, Ocak 2021 ile Ocak 2022 tarihleri arasında üçüncü basamak bir hastanede NCCT görüntülemesi yapılan erişkin hastalardan oluşmaktadır. Veriler elektronik tıbbi kayıtlar ve görüntüleme veritabanlarından elde edilmiş; yaş, cinsiyet, BT bulguları ve visseral yağ alanı (VFA) ölçümlerini içermektedir. Veri analizinde tanımlayıcı istatistikler, ki-kare testi, Spearman rho korelasyon testi ve lojistik regresyon analizi kullanılmıştır. Bulgular: Bu çalışmada 1562 hasta (720 kadın, 842 erkek) değerlendirilmiş ve apendiks görünürlüğü, yaş ve visseral obezite arasındaki ilişki incelenmiştir. Apendiks 1390 hastada (%89) görüntülenebilirken, 172 hastada (%11) işaretlenememiştir. Visseral yağ alanı yüksek olan hastalarda (VFA > 130), apendiks görüntülenme oranının düşük VFA'ya sahip hastalara göre anlamlı derecede daha yüksek olduğu bulunmuştur (p < 0,001). Sonuç: Bulgular, apendiks görünürlüğünün visseral obezitenin radyolojik bir sonucu olarak değerlendirilmesinin önemini ortaya koymaktadır. Yüksek VFA'ya sahip hastalarda NCCT, apendiksin görüntülenmesinde faydalı olabilir ve IV kontrast madde kullanım gereksinimini azaltabilir.

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Cite This Article

Güldoğan, E. S., Akdağ, T., Özbal, S., Aktürk, Y., Güldoğan, C., Hekimoğlu, B. (2026). The Relationship between Appendix Visibility on Non-Contrast Computed Tomography and Visceral Obesity: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study. Experimental and Applied Medical Science, Cilt: 7 Sayı: 3, 205–219. https://doi.org/10.46871/eams.2000463

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